FALL ARREST ANCHOR POINTS

Do you regularly have plumbers and HVAC workers accessing your roof? How do workers safely clean your gutters? Ensure your site has a compliant fall arrest system in place, and proper lock-out controls for access.

There are a range of Fall Arrest anchors available to suit your building and access requirements. Realm Height Safety will assess your structure, calculate fall distances, and design and install a fall arrest system to suit your needs.

18 Deaths – recorded in Australia from Jan to December 2018
50% – The percentage of fatalities from heights of 3 metres or less

AS/NZS 5532 Compliance

We are pleased to use the range of SAYFA single point anchors which have passed the tests set out in AS/NZS 5532, all of which have been conducted on the relevant substrate / roof decks.

FALL ARREST ANCHORS

FOR ALL SUBSTRATES

INSTALLED & TESTED

TESTING & CERTIFICATION

Inspection and certification required every 12 months by competent person in accordance with manufacturer’s specifications and requirements of Standard AS/NZS 1891.4:2009 Section (9).

ANCHOR TESTING & CERTIFICATION

WHAT IS FALL ARREST?

Fall Arrest anchors are used in two main functions – fall arrest and fall restraint. Fall Arrest is a system that will arrest a fall from height, preventing a worker from hitting the ground. Anchors are designed to take a shock load, and retain strength while the fallen worker is retrieved. A fall arrest system requires a rescue plan should retrieval of a fallen worker be required.

To absorb the initial load and prevent injury, a shock absorbing lanyard is used to slow the workers fall before arresting. Some fall arrest anchors are “deforming” – designed to stretch – to assist in this process. They must be replaced immediately after a fall. It is for this reason they are not suitable for Rope Access (where a sustained load is applied).

Where possible, it is preferable to use the anchors as a Fall Restraint system, which allows an end user to access an area near a fall hazard, but stops them from moving beyond the edge.

Workers using Fall Arrest Systems must have appropriate working safely at heights training and certification. They also require safety equipment including harnesses and lanyards that must also be tested regularly.

FALL DISTANCE

We are often asked to place fall arrest anchors on short awnings, or asked why certain systems have failed due to inadequate fall calculations. Having a fall arrest anchor does not mean the risk of serious injury has been reduced if fall distance has not been taken into consideration.

Some fall arrest anchor configurations may result in a potential free-fall distance in excess of 2.0m (see Clause 8.3 in AS/NZS 1891.4).

Calculating Fall Distance in Fall Arrest Systems

THE PENDULUM EFFECT

Incorrect use of a fall arrest system, or poor placement of fall restraint anchors can result in a pendulum fall. Calculating potential fall distances and ensuring workers are appropriately trained is the only way to prevent a dangerous fall.

WHAT ARE YOUR FALL CALCULATIONS?

Shows safe fall arrest anchor positions

STILL HAVE QUESTIONS

If you have workers regularly accessing your roof or working at height, it is essential that your fall arrest system is compliant and meets the needs of those workers. Talk with a company that has experience using the products, get in touch today.